Fortunately there are a handful of options for upgrading the brakes on the SC model cars. The two most common options being the Supra TT steel calipers and the 1995-2000 LS400 aluminum calipers, followed by custom Corvette calipers and 8 pot calipers from eBay. I won't discuss pros and cons between these options as I'm not technically versed in the dynamics of braking. I chose the LS400 caliper option for a couple reasons; cost, weight savings, and ease of installation. A set of used LS400 calipers with pads and rotors was a very affordable $150. Compared to a set of increasingly difficult to find used Supra TT calipers at over $350 ($800+ new) this is the best option. The Supra TT calipers are heavier although I'm sure are there are pros and cons to steel calipers beyond this article. Do these brakes provide an actual upgrade to stopping distances? I'm not sure. The stock brake system can lock up your wheels so the ABS and tire systems are the main factor when trying to stop from full lock. What you'll gain with this upgrade is a more
Update 2015 - I believe the LS400 caliper has large fluid channels which causes the initial soggy pedal feel, but I'm not sure. The braking ability is retained but there is a slight increase in pedal travel. There may be a few causes for this. One is that the master cylinder may not push as much fluid through, or after years of use it has set in and has a wear pattern that only allows a certain amount of fluid in based on the old caliper channels. I'm not sure how to explain this, but in short, a new master cylinder may solve this; either a larger booster from an LS or Supra (although the mounting brackets may be different,) or a factory sized SC replacement. The other possibility is a small amount of air trapped in the system somewhere. This is why bleeding all 4 calipers is essential, so this possibility is ruled out.
First off, the most important requirement is having the proper size wheels. There may be a more technical term in the world of wheel vocabulary but they must be "high disc" or "high clearance" wheels. The factory 1993-1998 Supra TT (NOT the non-turbo) 17" wheel is a direct bolt on for the SC and works with the Supra TT and LS400 calipers without spacers. The 1995-2000 LS400 wheels may be another option, but these are 16" and not an upgrade in terms of wheel performance. It may be handy to carry one of these as a spare if you have done caliper upgrades on all 4 wheels since the stock spare won't fit over these calipers. If you're only doing the front wheels, then you should be fine as you could swap the rear wheels to the front although this is more tedious in a side of the road emergency flat situation.
The next requirement is the trimming or removal of the stock brake dust shield (A.K.A splash shield or backing plate). I don't recommend removing it. This directs airflow, keeps debris, water, and brake dust away from the braking system and parts of the body. It's there for a reason although the car will still work without them. About 1" from the top and sides must be removed with metal shears to clear the rotor. It is possible to swap the matching LS400 brake shield although it requires some cutting as well. If one wanted to really find the balance between cutting and replacing the shield, an option would be the Supra TT brake shields which might still require some cutting. I have not confirmed this myself but it seems to be the most logical path since the Supra TT and SCs share so much in suspension design.
The last requirements are the trimming of the brake caliper body behind the mounting area, the removal of the guide pin on the brake line, and bleeding the brakes. The LS400 caliper has an area on the underside which hits the knuckle near the two 17mm mounting bolts. About 1/8" must be trimmed off so the lower bolt can fit. I will explain more below. Also, the brake hose line has a guide lock pin designed for the SC300 factory caliper. The distance between the fluid banjo bolt and guide pin is about 1/4" longer on the LS400 caliper. You will either need to swap out for LS400 lines, go aftermarket braided or simply squeeze the guide pin with pliers and remove it. I have read that LS400 lines are shorter and may be too tight at full wheel lock, but I haven't verified this. The best performance option is either new OEM lines, or stainless SC lines, not LS lines. Bleeding the brake lines is the very last step. Initially I couldn't find the bleeder valve on the LS400 calipers since they are covered by a rubber boot!
Below are the steps I took to do this low cost, effective brake upgrade.
What you need:
Complete LS400 caliper set including pads, pins, and mounting bolts. You cannot reuse the SC300 caliper bolts. The LS400 bolts are shorter and designed for the caliper.
LS400 rotors
14mm open end / box ring wrench
17mm open end / box ring wrench
14mm socket
17mm socket
21mm socket
Air compressor (if available) + impact wrench + grinding tool
Breaker bar or long ratchet
Philips/Flathead screwdriver just in case
Torque wrench
Metal shear cutters
Brake fluid
Brake cleaner spray
Wire brush
Someone to help with the bleeding process or a pump tool
Safety goggles especially if using a grinder.
I assume no responsibility for any mistakes or errors you make. Safety first!
1. Put your car on a stable surface and put it in park or first gear with the e-brake on.
2. If doing the passenger side first, turn the steering wheel to the left about 75% of the way so you can easily access the bolts on the back of the brake.
3. Loosen the wheel nuts with the 21mm socket, but do not remove them, then jack one side of the front up, then remove the wheels.
4. Slightly loosen the brake fluid line on the caliper with the 14mm wrench or socket depending on your available tools. Do not let any fluid out or open it all the way. The purpose is to loosen the bolt so when it's time to swap the calipers you don't have to struggle to find a point of leverage with the caliper off the hub.
5. You can choose to disassemble the caliper and it's bracket here, or just remove it in one piece. If you disassemble it, take the two 14mm wrenches and pull the installation bolt. Remove the caliper and place it on a steady surface so the flexible rubber brake line is not under tension/hanging.
6. Remove the caliper bracket by using the 17mm socket on the two bolts in the back. Please note that if your car has been sitting for years and the caliper bracket has not been removed, they may be rusted in at the thread end of the bolt. An impact wrench will not get these off if that's the case. You will need a breaker bar for the leverage.
7. Tap the rotor with a mallet around the center face (not the edges or face of the rotor) or use the rotor removal pinholes to push a bolt through them to get the rotor off. Some cars may have rotor lock screws that need to be removed. Depending on how long they have been on this may require some effort from rust buildup.
8. Now that the rotor and caliper are removed you can take the LS400 rotor and mock fit it to the wheel hub. Note where you need to trim the dust shield. About 1.5" of metal will need to be sheared around the circumference of the shield. Below is a picture of what I took off with the shears. You may take more time to get it exact if you wish. Use a metal file to soften the edges. You don't want to reach in here for the next rotor change and slice your finger open.
9. Take brake cleaner spray and a wire brush and clean the surface areas of the hub and wheel studs.
10. Take the LS400 caliper and mock mount it with one bolt in the top. Remember the bolts are put in from the back side!
You will see the lower bolt hole is about 1/8" off and won't line up. This is because the caliper has a fin that touches the wheel knuckle/spindle at the top.
11. Remove the caliper from the wheel hub and take your metal file or air file tool and grind the corner of the caliper shown above. Be EXTREMELY careful and only take about 1/8" off, or just enough to clear the spot. Contrary to what's shown above, I accidentally ground the side of it with the air tool - you do not need to do this section. Only the top where it touches. Put the caliper back on to test the fit again. You should be able to put both the upper and lower bolts in with ease. But don't tighten them down- the rotor still has to go on.
12. Take your rotor and spray liberally with brake cleaner and a lint free rag. Place it on the hub and press it in firmly. Take one wheel nut and screw it on to keep the rotor in place. Double check to make sure the dust shield is not rubbing on the backside of the rotor. If it is, trim again or fold back just enough.
13. Put the caliper on and screw in the LS400 bolts. If you haven't already taken the rubber line off the old caliper, do so now and quickly swap it over to the LS400 caliper.
13.
From what I have read (not confirmed by me) the 1998-00 SC300 received the same caliper setup as the SC400
